Travel Agent - October 15, 2007 - (Page 104)

NEWS IMPACT Jamaica Looks to Grow Tourism Revenue; China Gears Up for Olympics WITH THE WEATHER IN THE NORTHEAST SLOWLY BEGINNING TO TURN, I hope everyone had a chance to sell their clients what I think is one of the most underrated itineraries: Canada/New England. Everybody nowadays seems to talk about Europe or the Caribbean and forgets that here, right at home, are some great ports of call—and you’ll be able to speak the language! Now, back to business. Did you see Jamaica’s new Tourism Minister Ed Bartlett’s call to arms to raise cruise passenger spending on the Caribbean island (see page 68)? Bartlett has only been on the job for about a month, but his bold assertion bodes well for Jamaica’s tourism revenue. “The critical mechanism in encouraging more LEFT: The new Sofitel Wanda Beijing BELOW: Ocho Rios, Jamaica CRUISES AND HOTELS spending by these passengers is building new attractions,” Bartlett told Travel Agent. “It’s through shopping, through entertainment. Those things will get these visitors to spend more money.” Offering More to Cruisers “Jamaica is not developed the way it should be right now, but we will be working to improve that, working to attract some top-name shopping brands that can offer passengers a little bit more on than on the ship,” he says. Bartlett is promising to raise cruise-passenger spend by $67 by 2010 (from its current $83 to $150). Moreover, his ultimate goal is to have passengers spend between $300 and $400 per visit. He believes Royal Caribbean’s new Genesis-class ships, the first tentatively debuting in fall 2009, will enable his pledge to become a reality. The first Genesis ship will call in Jamaica in 2009 and bring ashore more passengers per visit than ever before (the ships will carry a staggering 5,400 guests). Preparation is key. The Port Authority of Jamaica is currently in talks with the National Environment and Planning Agency to secure authorization to build a cruise terminal in Trelawny, which would be capable of hosting the 220,000ton gargantuan vessels. expand to 48 hotels from its current base of 25 by 2010. Marriott’s chairman, J.W. Marriott, was in Shanghai late last month to trumpet the new development. It’s no coincidence that hotel operators are looking to expand in China. Some two million visitors are expected for the 2008 Beijing Olympic Games—they’re going to need a place to sleep. Marriott says it will have 11 properties open in China’s capital ahead of the 2008 Games. Other hotel companies are following suit—InterContinental, Hilton, and Accor, to name a few. The World Travel & Tourism Council estimates that China will be the world’s second biggest travel market in 10 years. It’s currently sixth. Just For Fun Room for dessert? The Fortress in Koggala, a luxury resort hotel in Sri Lanka, is offering guests what it says is the world’s most expensive dessert. Price tag for the confection: $14,500 a serving. The sabayon has ingredients like Dom Pérignon and is topped with a compote and flanked by a Valrhona chocolate figurine. The coup de grâce—an 80-carat aquamarine set into the dish. The perfect end to a meal, don’t you agree? —DAVID EISEN China’s Hotel Boom Meanwhile, cruising’s colleague in hospitality, the hotel industry, is busy making moves of its own. No, not in the Caribbean—in China. Marriott International says it plans to quadruple its number of hotels there to 100 in the next five to six years, as it seeks to tap into growing tourist demand. The initial aim is to 104 | TravelAgent October 15, 2007

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Travel Agent - October 15, 2007 Online Now Contents From the Editor From the Publisher Contributors Europe Central & South America Special Supplement: Ski University Pacific/Asia Las Vegas Caribbean Romantic Getaway and Honeymoon Packages Jamaica’s New Minister of Tourism Talks About the Country’s Future Special Package Deals Cruises Hotels Ski Multi-Generational Travel Tours Cover Story: Luxe Life of the Stewart Clan Business Operations - Agent Profile Technology Transportation The Industry - Agenda Caribbean News PATA Travel Mart ITME Report Latest Cruise and Hotel News Travel Week In the Spotlight Editorial Index Advertising Index Classified Marketplace Trendwatch

Travel Agent - October 15, 2007

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